South Slave Arctic Winter Games  Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the opening ceremonies of the 2018 South Slave Arctic Winter Games. This week, the towns of Hay River and Fort Smith will welcome nearly 2,000 athletes to compete in 19 sports, from hockey and gymnastics to dog mushing and

Indigenous Peoples and Canada's Justice System  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments made by my former colleague on the indigenous affairs committee. We talked about a number of issues, and I know she is quite knowledgeable on the issues that are challenging aboriginal people across the country. I am one of the few MPs who

Arctic Inspiration Prize Winners  Mr. Speaker, Wednesday of last week was a big night for the Northwest Territories here in Ottawa. I was pleased to attend the Arctic Inspiration Prize ceremony on January 31, where two organizations from my riding were announced as winners. Dene Heroes Publication, whose proj

Fisheries and Oceans  Mr. Speaker, the Arctic is one of our greatest treasures. As the member for Northwest Territories, I know how precious our coastlines, oceans, and fisheries are for the people of the north and for all Canadians. As climate change changes our landscapes and ecosystems, we have a

Infrastructure  Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, I was thrilled to drive on the new 137 kilometre road connecting Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. I was joined by the Governor General, the Ministers of Infrastructure and Crown-Indigenous Relations, the GNWT premier and cabi

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge  Mr. Speaker, last year I stood in the House to speak about the protection of the Porcupine caribou calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Today, I restate these concerns. This refuge is one of the most fragile ecosystems left on earth. It is also the

Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, the member raised several points that caught my interest. First was the need for infrastructure to develop our resources in the north. I am from the Northwest Territories. We have three functioning mines and a number of mines on the horizon. Infrastructure is what re

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, indigenous Canadians make up 4% of Canada's population but 25% of the federal prison population. We know that there are historical and systemic issues that have combined to cause this problem, and that is why the government has been focusing on bringing about socio-e

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I am presenting an e-petition that expresses concerns surrounding the construction of the Site C dam.

Commissioner of the Northwest Territories  Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Yellowknife I had the honour of attending the swearing in ceremony for Margaret Thom, the new Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. Ms. Thom, a proud northerner, has been a counsellor at the Deh Gah school in Fort Providence for the past 20 years. I

National Aboriginal Day  Mr. Speaker, [member spoke in Gwich'in] [English] It is also true that we are stronger and more successful when we work together as partners. Our commitment to building a new relationship, and supporting and improving outcomes for indigenous peoples and promoting reconciliati

Canadian Heritage  Mr. Speaker, Canada 150 is an opportunity to engage Canadians in our communities from coast to coast to coast. It provides us with an opportunity to think about the past, reflect on all we have accomplished so far, and look toward the future with optimism. We know that many crown

World No Tobacco Day  Mr. Speaker, today the World Health Organization marks World No Tobacco Day. In Canada, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, killing over 37,000 Canadians every year. Although the average smoking rate in Canada is 13%, our communities in the north expe

Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement  Mr. Speaker, on April 21, I had the pleasure of attending the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories. Land claims strengthen local participation in decision-making, and create certainty about owne

Hepatitis C  Mr. Speaker, hepatitis C is a contagious viral infection that ranges in severity from mild illness lasting a few weeks to serious lifelong liver disease. NWT has the highest rate of hepatitis C in Canada. About 250,000 people are infected with the virus in Canada, but most are un